What Ifs
by Natalia173
Summary: What if Thonolan didn't die after Baby mauled him? What if Ayla saved both of them? What if Thonolan woke before Jondalar? And what if Ayla had feelings for Thonolan?
1. Prolouge

HI! I'm starting this story because my friend Jenna decided that I write a ton of anime fan fiction but not enough other fan fiction. And since she hates Anime, she never reads my stuff. SO I told one day that I was contemplating writing an Earth's children FF and of course she said that I HAD to write it so. here I am. I mean I was gonna write it anyways but that's not the point. So Jenna this one is for you and I swear if I write it and you don't read it I'm going to be very *very* angry. Humph.  
  
Disclaimer: Nope I don't own Earth's Children. But I wish I own Jondalar. He sounds kinda hott ;)  
  
"."-speaking  
  
'.'-thinking  
  
*~*~*~-scene change  
  
*~*~*~  
  
"Whinney it's getting later maybe we should head back," Ayla told her horse in their language that only Ayla knew. The horse just whinnied and continued on. Ayla sighed knowing better then to argue with the animal. Then Ayla heard the roar of a near-by cave lion. Not wanting to go into the animal's territory, Ayla started to head the other way until she heard something that she hadn't heard for a very long time: a human scream. Without thinking she urged Whinney towards the sound.  
Arriving at the cave she jumped off Whinney before the horse had even stopped. She took in the scene before her. The biggest cave lion ever stood over two unconscious bodies.  
"Baby stop!" she signed. She ran over and pushed the massive lion off the two men. The lion sauntered off and lay down on the other side of the cave.  
Ayla examined the two men. They were men of others! Men like her! And both were seriously injured though not dead. yet. If she didn't get them out of here fast both would die, either from their wounds or when the lioness came back. Baby she could control, the lioness would rip all of them to shreds. But how she would get them out of here without further injuring them? She had brought the travois but that would only hold one of the men. She could quickly make another but there was no animal to carry it back. She quickly glanced around the cave for a solution. Her eyes rested on Baby.  
"Baby, come here!" She searched for trees nearby and cut down two suitable ones. She also created straps with extra leather that she had with her. "Baby I need you to help me bring these men back. Will you help me Baby?" She started to hook up the make-shift travois up to him. He fidgeted and complained at first but didn't attempt to take it off.  
She put the brown haired man on the travois connected to Baby. He moaned then settled back into his unconscious state. She then turned her attention to the second man who had yellow hair. She hooked him up to Whinney. Blood was gushing from his leg. The brown haired man's injuries seemed less serious but she still had to get them back quickly if either were going to live.  
The trek back was difficult. She had to keep Baby from going too fast and Whinney from going to slow all while making sure the two men in her care didn't die. She tried to slow the blood of the yellow haired man but tying a thong above the wound but that wasn't going to help for long.  
Finally they reached her cave. She unhitched the two men from the animals. She then gathered all the extra furs she could find. Sensing the yellow haired man was worse she started on him right away. She cleaned his wound and set the bones but she couldn't get the muscle to stay together. If his muscle didn't align, the leg wouldn't heal right. If she could somehow bring the skin together.  
Her eyes fell on the man's clothing. She had noticed that it was held together by sinews. If she could do the same thing to his leg, she might be able to keep the muscle together. She ran for her own sinew then stuck it in the marigold solution she had made. Next she searched for tree slivers she had gathered from a tree that was hit by lightning.  
She carefully poked holes in his skin and threaded the sinew through. He moaned every time a new hole was made. She had to work fast. She didn't want him waking up mid puncture.  
She finally finished knotting his skin together. She didn't want to put too many in because she didn't know what would happen when she took them out. The method seemed to work though and, as long as the wound was kept clean, he should regain use of his leg.  
With the first man treated, Ayla turned to the one with brown hair. There were puncture wounds in his broken shoulder. Both his legs were broken along with his forearm where four more puncture wounds resided. Lastly blood matted his hair. From what Ayla could tell he had a mild concussion. She started with the bones. She wanted to have them set before he woke up, but had nothing suitable for a splint. She'd have to go down into the valley to find some branches. She also had to make some more poultices for the teeth marks Baby had left in him.  
She ran down to the valley, found suitable splints and was back at her cave in minutes. She had to hurry, he was about to wake. She set his shoulder, legs and forearm. She then wrapped a hyde around his head. He woke as she was applying poultice to the teeth wounds.  
"Jetamio?" Ayla jumped a little, not realizing he had awoken. "No, not Jetamio but just as beautiful." The dark haired man sighed and slipped back into unconsciousness.  
  
*~*~*~  
There ya go prologue. Whacha think? I personally liked. Not sure what's gonna happen with this but we'll see. Hope everyone likes it. Review please? I like them.  
  
My Email is Natalia173@yahoo.com 


	2. Introductions

Ok here is the official chapter one of my story.  No reviews but I kinda wasn't expecting any.  Jenna better review because if I'm writing this whole thing for her and she doesn't even read it… ooooo watch out.  Anyways I wrote ½ of this when I was at work and half asleep and the other half of this chapter after shopping and was won out so if it's a little… weird that's why.  Anyways enjoy.

"…"-Speaking

'…'-thinking

*~*~*~-scene change

Disclaimer: *shuffles through papers* old pictures, last year's report card, declaration of            independence… hmmm so *that's* where that paycheck went.  But nope   defiantly no paper saying I own Earth's Children.  Damn gotta add that to the list   now maybe if I keep searching I can find the flying monkeys…

*~*~*~

            Ayla sat cleaning the yellow haired man's wound.  The other man's words had confused her.  She had no idea what he had said or what a "Jetamio" was.  She assumed it was a name, possibly the other man's.  A moan snapped her out of her thoughts.  She crawled over to the dark haired man.  He was awake.

            "Water," he croaked out.  Ayla looked at him in confusion.  "You don't understand a word I'm saying do you?"  He made a drinking motion with his good arm.  "Wat-er."  Ayla's eyes lit up in comprehension.  She got a cup of water and brought it over to him.

            "Oo-rr"  She tried to pronounce the word.

            "Wat-er," the man said again.

            "Ooa-derr."

            "Much better!"  His smile lit up his face.  Ayla smiled at her accomplishment.  Then she pointed to herself.

            "Ayla."

            "Ayy-la."  She nodded then pointed to him.

            "Thonolan."

            "On-lan."  He shook his head and encouraged her to try again.

            "Tho-no-lan."

            "Don-no-laan."  He smiled.  It was close enough.  Ayla pointed to the yellow haired man.  Thonolan's eyes widened at the sight if his brother.

            "Jondalar," he whispered.

            "Duh-da."  Thonolan took a deep breath and repeated his brother's name.

            "Jon-dal-ar."

            "Don-da-lah."  Thonolan nodded.  Close enough.  If it bothered Jondalar so much he could correct her when he woke up.  If he woke up.  Thonolan put the thought out of his head.  He had already lost Jetamio he wasn't going to loose his brother too.

            Then the realization hit him.  If he was so upset now and Jondalar was only hurt, imagine how his brother must have felt when he ran after a lioness.  How could he have been so inconsiderate?  Jondalar loved him along with many in the Zeladonii and Shamudoi.  How could he have been so reckless with his life?

            The loss of Jetamio was great on his shoulders.  He loved her and grieved for her but if he knew anything it was that Jetamio didn't like death.  He had met her when she was caring for him.  She had given him a second chance to live and here he was throwing it away.

            He looked at the woman now bent over his brother.  She really was a very beautiful and obviously a very skilled healer.  He smiled as his thoughts drifted back to when he first saw Jetamio, not unlike how he met Ayla.  What a curious coincidence. 

            Ayla came back and checked on his bandages.  She applied more poultice to it.  When she was finished, Thonolan pointed to Jondalar.

            "Jondalar, will he be ok?"  Ayla recognized the name of the other man he pointed to but didn't know what he asked.  Fortunately she also recognized the concern knitted in his brow.  She assumed he was asking about his companion but she didn't know how to answer him.  Finally, not knowing what else to do she wavered her thumb between up and down and then tentatively went to up.  Thonolan nodded.  She wasn't sure.  The thumbs up told him she thought he would pull through but it wasn't guaranteed.  A lot could go wrong.

            And it was all his fault.  What was he thinking going after a lioness?  He should've known Jondalar would come with him.  He put both of their lives at risk and now Jondalar might die because of his own stupidity.  Great, just great.

*~*~*~

Hmm kinda short but I'm having some writer's block lately.  Sucky.  Anyways enjoy the albeit somewhat short chapter.

As Always my E-mail is Natalia173@yahoo.com


	3. Need Some Help

Ok, this is a cry for help. I am completely and totally stumped on what should come next. I have writer's block to the extreme so I am enlisting the aid of my faithful readers! I wanna know what you want to see happen in this story and then maybe I can get some idea's and continue it! I really wanna finish it but my muses don't seem to like this story(I had writer's block on another one too but that one is going well and is almost done). So any help would be appreciated and I don't care if you think it's stupid tell me anyways! I'm desperate! Thanks in advance to all who will help. 


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